Most times when a homeowner thinks about making their home more energy efficient, increasing the comfort level and reducing their energy bills, they think attic insulation. And who can blame them? The largest source of escaping heat and air conditioned air in our Cleveland area climate is through the roof, a problem solved with better attic insulation, but did you know that the right insulation in your basement or crawlspace can also make a big difference in your energy bill? In our northeast Ohio climate attics are definitely the number one source of heat loss but basements, especially crawl spaces, are undoubtedly the second most critical area to insulate for lower energy bills.
Insulating Crawl Spaces in the Basement
If you live in the Cleveland area and have a crawl space, whether you have a full crawl space, or a basement with a partial crawl space, these areas can cause problems if they are not properly insulated. For instance, some crawlspaces contain water pipes which can, when they experience severe temperature extremes, freeze and burst. Or they may contain uninsulated heating and air conditioning ducts which can waste costly energy. Insulating the crawlspace can help prevent this from occurring. Also, an uninsulated crawlspace can make the floors and temperatures in the home above it colder in winter weather and hotter in the summer.
Avoid Frozen Pipes in the Crawl Space with Basement Insulation
Remember the winter of 2015 in Cleveland? We had the fourth coldest day on record since 1871 and the fifth most number of days with below-zero temperatures with thirteen days of below-zero! If you have a crawl space, or other areas of your basement that aren't well insulated, you either likely had frozen pipes or were plugging in electric heaters and facing them towards your crawl space for hours at a time (a very dangerous and NOT recommended practice). With our basement insulating services we use a basement-wrap, or basement wall blanket insulation, a four-foot wide roll of fiber glass insulation to keep those cold temperatures from gaining access to your pipes.
Avoid Cold Air Blowing From Your Furnace with Basement Insulation
Do you ever notice cold air blowing out of your furnace in the winter? Do you have a crawl space that lacks proper insulation? Many of us who grew-up in older homes are conditioned to think that the furnace is just "warming-up", but if your furnace is blowing cold air it could be an insulation issue. If you have heat runs, or ductwork, running from your furnace through an uninsulated crawlspace, your furnace is working double and triple duty to expel that cold air before it can warm your house with hot air. As part of our free estimate we take the time to look over how your furnace and heat distribution system are working, if exposure to cold pockets is reducing the effectiveness of your furnace, and prescribe insulation solutions that will have you spending less on energy bills while enjoying the comfort of your newly insulated and more energy efficient home.
Soundproof Your Man Cave or Basement Living Area
Aside from energy efficiency, easier climate control and reduced stress on HVAC systems the other most common reason for insulating the basement is to reduce noise and improve acoustics. Whether you have a band practicing in the basement, want a more private man cave or are turning the basement into a home theater or other living area, insulating the basement with our stone wool, sound insulation products, will yield the highest acoustical performance. No more listening to the family walking around, the sink running or the toilet flushing upstairs when you're looking for peace and quiet in the basement. For more information see our sound insulation page.